Re: Most solid state like sounding tubesReply #3 - 02/19/12 at 23:25:53

You need to get that stock rectifier the hell out of there! Try an RCA, GE or Sylvania or Raytheon 5U4G or 5U4GB. The GB version is straight-sided, made with a little more juice, for television sets. I personally prefer the coke bottle look, despite a difference in performance.

Re: Most solid state like sounding tubesReply #7 - 02/22/12 at 17:54:39

Maybe then I should clarify:

What I'm after is not really a more solid state like sound.The CSP2+ is certainly a very good amplifier, but there are things that sound better through my 150 Dollar soundcard output. When I switched from soundcard to CSP2+ and DAC, especially the sound of piano notes was missing something in the dynamics. It is this what I'm trying to regain.

Re: Most solid state like sounding tubesReply #11 - 02/24/12 at 02:12:25

Mazda 5Y3GB sounds the most solid state to me. I could barely differentiate the headphone out of my CSP2+ with that of my CDP with this and cryo'd EH 6922s in.

Tungsol 5Y3GT sounds almost as detailed, with more bass and better dynamics.Visseaux 5Y3 added to these qualities with a slightly more forward presentation and more bloom. The Tungsol and Visseaux elevated the performance of my CSP2+ above that of my CDP's headphone jack.

Bendix 6106 was a little slow and murky in comparison to all three.

The stock 5U4 sounds great on classical, but it doesn't expose as much space between instruments as the better 5Y3's, and the way it balloons out images on jazz and vocal recordings is a little too distracting for me. Too tubey.

Re: Most solid state like sounding tubesReply #15 - 02/24/12 at 23:59:23

My initial comparisons were with Audio-Technica ATH-M30's, which are 65 ohms. They aren't very resistant, but CSP2+ nonetheless gave me sound equivalent to or better than the solid state output with the good rectifiers. The better 5Y3s really have a huge effect.

Later comparisons with my Magnepan MMGs gave me a much better sense of the tube's effects on transient speed, image size and soundstage, since the M30s are closed and among the more closed sounding closed cans. I would think Magnepans and K701s would be pretty similar sounding overall.

Another thing to consider is the driver tube. The 6N1P's sound great in back, but mine stretched out the images a little too much vertically when in the front driver position. A single EH6922 brought things back into balance for me.